Woke up this Monday morning with gratitude on my mind. A few weeks ago I attended an event where one of the speakers talk about opening yourself up to being grateful. He talked about saying “Thank You” more. How saying it and being thankful can lead to receiving more blessings.

So, when I woke up this morning two incidents were on my mind. The first one was, after morning service one the members stop me and my niece.(11 yrs. old) She spoke to my niece asking her about Sunday School and what did she learn today etc. She then started telling my niece how beautiful she was. She told her petty her eyes were. I was standing there smiling and saying “Thank You” Now she wasn’t talking to me, so why did I feel the need to say thank you. Also you heard me say this was my niece, not my daughter. So why was I thankful? I was thankful because she did not have to stop us and say anything. I was thankful because she was pouring compliments into my young niece when the world we live in can be so cruel to young girls. That women showed us that being true and nice don’t cost you nothing. And for that I was very thankful.

Second incident was at church again but now a special afternoon service that they were. Near the end of the program the asked for a donation to help them continue to help the needy in the community. The young people were going around collecting the envelopes that you would put your donation in. this is what I noticed. One young collecting had her son with her holding the bucket. Each time someone put something in she told him to say “Thank You” and she was smiling with him. Everyone that received a thank you from him, smiled and laughed right along with him and mother. When I was finished with my envelope the young man that came to me shoved the bucket in my direction. I dropped in my envelope and said “Thank You” I was thanking him coming to me and getting my donation. He in turned never looked at me nor did he say anything. His face held a stiff I really don’t want to be here expression. What made it worse was that sitting across from me where about three older women and when they placed their donations in his bucket they noticed the same thing.

Now, did I need him to confirm that by giving a donation I was doing something good. No!! But what would have been nice was if he had showed some appreciation on behalf of the program for my giving a donation.

In this season of Thanksgiving let us try to be more grateful. Let us say “Thank You” a little more. Is it really that hard to say? Not at all

]]>https://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/2018/11/12/gratitude/feed/0aliciamuseWelcome Back!!!https://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/2018/11/12/welcome-back/
https://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/2018/11/12/welcome-back/#respondMon, 12 Nov 2018 04:20:43 +0000http://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/?p=21Continue reading →]]>Hello sweeties, it has been a long time since I shared my thoughts. But, I am back. There is so much I missed talking about. I am not going to go backwards, so we are going to kick this off as if we been here all along.

I attended the Second Annual Well- Read Black Girl Festival this weekend in Brooklyn, NY. I am going to start off by saying it was a packed house. The room was full of black girls. The room had black girl magic all over the place. Looking around the room I was in awe. I was excited to be in the building. I heard some real finger snapping poetry. The Keynote speaker Patricia Smith was simple awesome. She now has a new fan. Also with the purchase of a premium ticket you received the newly released Well Read Black Girl Anthology. Which I can not wait to read.

We were treated to an awesome panel discussion with six of the contributing authors of the Anthology.

Unfortunately I had to leave after the panel discussion. Why? you ask

The event was suppose to start at 11am. At 11am we were still standing on line outside in the cold. When we were finally allowed inside we were asked to show ID before showing tickets. (I am not sure why) The seating was tight, tight, tight. You remember I said packed house right? besides tight they were very uncomfortable. I mean they truly maximized every inch of the place. So me with my messed up knees was in so much pain from the chairs I couldn’t take it anymore and had to leave. I was a little bummed about that because they had an interesting line up on the itinerary. I do have a list of authors and poets that I will be getting to know better.

So, over all I would probably attend the Third Annual Well-Read Black Girl Festival and you should too!!!!

Mark your calendar’s for March 9, 2019 “Literary Madness” get tickets now

Join us at B.A.R.R

Ciao sweeties, until next time

Alicia

]]>https://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/2018/11/12/welcome-back/feed/0aliciamuseGiving Thanks!!!!!!https://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/2015/11/15/giving-thanks/
https://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/2015/11/15/giving-thanks/#respondSun, 15 Nov 2015 15:18:52 +0000http://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/?p=17Continue reading →]]>The season of thanksgiving is among us. This the season we take a look over things and see what we are most thankful of. When we make up our list of things of course what makes the top of the list is our life, family, friends, and good health.

As An avid reader my list will also include my books all my books. The authors who take the time to write the awesome books that are cluttering up every corner in my house.

Being a book club member my list will also include by fellow book club members. Which I also cover in my family because they are truly my extended family. But I am including book clubs that I have met over the last few years.

Thankful to all the book clubs who take the time to put a literary event together. Having done literary events I am well aware of the hard work that goes into the event process. These events are orchestrated to bring authors and readers together. Through some of these events I have met authors whom I may not have met otherwise. I have read books that I may not never have come across because they are not by my favorite author. Or I never heard of this author so I will not read their book.

Yes so I am very thankful for these literary events. I will name a few but you can google literary events and you just may be surprised at what you find.

The Black Authors and Readers Rock Weekend

Spring Book Festival

Romance Slam Jam

National Book Club Conference

Book Expo America

The Cavalcade of Authors Chicago

Romance writers of America (RWA)

When you start searching events I am sure you will find something that will interest you.

What are you Thankful for?

These are my thoughts just thoughts that I chose to share. Agree or disagree just my thoughts.

As we say goodbye to 2011 and welcome in 2012, what are saying goodbye and hello to? When I look back over the events have 2011 I must say I have been disappointed by some and very impressed by or encouraged by others. I would like for us as readers to demand more from or authors. To Demand more is simply to demand that give us what we want. A well written book. A book that they take the time and energy to write and edit. Not a that they wake up in the morning and say ” I feel like writing a book today” and a month later they have a book and is pushing for us to buy and read.

I am so tired of picking up a book and then when I start reading I am bombarded with errors. I have even read a few were the story line did not flow in order. I do sympathized when I hear an author say that they decide to self publish because the main stream publishers are robbing them.

In 2004 when Sugar & Spice started self published authors were on the rise. As well as Urban Lit or Street Lit. authors were hitting the bookshelves on a rise. At this time we were so happy to see so many people reading, especially our young people that we ignored the errors and just kept on reading. Now eight years later I say enough is enough give me a well written book or give me death. Alright, well not that dramatic but seriously all I desire is a well written book. I must add that I would prefer it not be about drugs, drug dealers and f###ing everyone that you come in contact with. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t have anything against sex but when you just throw it in the middle of a story and it makes no sense, shame on you.

Now when I look at authors who have been around for a long time like Walter Mosley, Alice Walker, Donna Hill, Rochelle Alers, Bernice McFadden, Beverly Jenkins. And I take a look at some of our authors that we have come to know in the last eight years like Renee Daniel Flagler,Moses Miller, Trice Hickman, J.M. Benjamin and others. I wonder do they have that staying power? I would say yes they do.

As an avid reader I will demand that more authors take pride in what they are putting out there for our pleasure.

These are my thoughts just thoughts that I chose to share. Agree or disagree just my thoughts.

Peace until next time.

Keep reading, sweeties!!!!!

]]>https://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/2012/01/14/happy-new-year/feed/0aliciamuseWhat are you reading and why?https://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/what-are-you-reading-and-why/
https://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/what-are-you-reading-and-why/#respondMon, 04 Oct 2010 19:30:08 +0000http://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/?p=6Continue reading →]]>What are you reading and why? Street Lit or should I say Urban Lit has been on the rise. I would like to know what is it about Street Lit. that has grab your interest. Do you think this is just a faze. As for myself I enjoy a good Urban fiction but it seems as if if you read one then you have read them all. What are your thoughts on this topic if any
]]>https://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/what-are-you-reading-and-why/feed/0aliciamuseWhat’s happening to our small bookstores?https://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/whats-happening-to-our-small-bookstores/
https://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/whats-happening-to-our-small-bookstores/#respondMon, 20 Sep 2010 22:52:04 +0000http://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/?p=4Continue reading →]]>I just came from a wonderful literary event in Kansas City, and the sad state of our African American book stores. We no longer have a place to go where we can go and all the latest info in the african american literary world. Is there anything we can do about this?
]]>https://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/whats-happening-to-our-small-bookstores/feed/0aliciamuseHello world!https://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/hello-world/
https://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/hello-world/#commentsMon, 20 Sep 2010 22:37:24 +0000http://aliciamuse.wordpress.com/?p=1Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!
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